Leicester Riders head coach Rob Paternostro says beating BBL champions London Lions in the play-off final would be one of the “biggest upsets in British sporting history”.

The Lions won the Championship by a record margin and defeated Leicester in the BBL Cup final in January.

“Going into this game, we’re huge underdogs,” Paternostro said.

Sunday’s final sees both the men’s and women’s teams of London and Leicester go head-to head, as they did in the BBL Cup finals day at the start of the year when the Lions beat the Riders 95-42 to retain their WBBL Cup title.

The women’s final tips off at 13:15 BST with the men’s game following at 16:15 BST.

For Riders’ men’s side, it is a case of trying to stop the rot against the Lions, who have beaten them five times in a row.

They are also the best-funded team, owned by American investment firm 777 Partners, which has also pumped £7m into the league after buying a 45% stake in the BBL in December 2021.

Paternostro thinks the match-up is a typical ‘David and Goliath’ encounter.

“It really is. Everybody in our league knows this London team is well funded and has brought in a lot of good players,” he told BBC Radio Leicester.

“But they have brought together a collection of stars and played really good basketball.

“I think if we’re able to get it done I think it’ll be one of the biggest upsets in British sporting history – our guys are excited and looking forward to performing.

“We knew coming in how difficult it was going to be to win trophies with London in the league and what they’re able to do.

“We gave it our best shot (in games against them) but came up short – but we have one more chance.”

Riders skipper aiming to go out in style

The final also marks the end of the British career of Riders captain Darien Nelson-Henry, who is retiring after four years with the club.

The American forward said he is “proud to call himself a Rider” and knows he could not have asked for a better occasion for his send off.

“If you’re thinking about hanging them up, the last game you want to play is in the O2 Arena in front of a packed house with a team you’ve been with your entire British career,” the 29-year-old told BBC Radio Leicester.

“I couldn’t have written it any better myself. I’m looking forward to finishing my British career on a high note – I’m hoping we can put a bow on this thing by winning the championship.”

Nelson-Henry says the Lions are “setting the tone” in the British game and hopes the Riders will be able to “follow suit”.

“A lot of leagues are struggling to keep it sustainable for players,” he said.

“A lot of the guys want to get to the top spots and get paid as much as possible, and there are only limited positions where you can achieve that.

“I’ve been lucky throughout my career, I’ve been blessed with a lot of positions in the different clubs I’ve been in.”

Final will see some ‘hard-nosed basketball’

Nelson-Henry, who had spells playing in Poland and Austria, thinks the BBL “has come a long way” and is “really excited to see where it goes”.

For now, though, it is all about leaving the Riders on a high and he says the Lions will be formidable opponents on Sunday.

“You can expect some hard-nosed basketball that’s for sure,” he said.

“We’re playing with an element of desperation – it’s our last game and we want to beat London and leave it all out there on the court.

“I know these guys will do that, not only because they are dedicated to Riders or to me in my last game, it’s because we’re all winners and that’s what we want to do – we’re stoked.”

‘It’s a worry when everything’s perfect’

For the Lions, a first play-off title and potential domestic treble beckons, and head coach Ryan Schmidt says his players are ready to make history.

“These are the moments we all compete for: to play in the last game on the big stage. I don’t think you need to get guys hyped up to play in games like this,” he told BBC Radio London.

“It’s not all been plain sailing. In our first game against Cheshire in the semi-finals, we didn’t play very well and sometimes you need those moments to get things back on track.

“It’s a worry sometimes when everything’s perfect.”

Schmidt says the Lions “know what we’re getting” against the Riders, having played them so often this season, and is expecting a difficult afternoon.

“We’ve played them five times and we’ve have success against them,” he said.

“They’re talented and deep and very well coached. It’s hard to beat the same team that many times. Every game has been a battle and I’m expecting the same on Sunday.

“Watching their semi-final against Bristol, I think they (Bristol) surprised a lot of people but what broke Leicester through is they’ve got Championship pedigree.

“You watch the fourth quarter of that game, when it came down to those clutch moments their players stepped up. They’ve been there before and done it and it shone through.”

Having wrapped up the Championship with a record six games to spare at the time, victory in the play-off final would give the men’s team a seventh trophy, and sixth in the past five seasons.

Schmidt says 2022-23 has been a “huge breakthrough season” for the club that has seen them become the first team from the BBL for 16 years to play in the EuroCup.

“It’s an honour to help grow the British game and represent the BBL in Europe, it’s exciting,” he said.

“I think we’re just scratching the surface and laying the foundation of what’s to come.”

Lions women roaring towards unprecedented second quadruple

Like the men’s final there is a sense of deja vu about the women’s final as the all-conquering Lions look to make it another clean sweep of four domestic titles, having beaten the Riders to win the BBL Cup and BBL Trophy this season.

Their only defeat in their Championship-winning campaign – against Caledonia Gladiators in February – ended a record 52-game winning run and Schmidt is full of admiration for what they have achieved as they hunt a third play-off victory in a row and a ninth trophy just three seasons.

“Seeing what they’re doing is nothing short of remarkable,” Schmidt said.

“Consistency of high-level performance, game in, game out. Our women’s side have had a great season and want to cap it off with the Championship.”

Riders, coached by Krumesh Patel, could win their first play-off title having lost successive finals to Sevenoaks Suns in 2018 and 2019.

An upset win on Sunday would deliver a fifth trophy and first since their BBL Cup win in 2021.